Special Collections
The Melbourne Special Collections include material which are rare or expensive, which have conditions placed on their access (prohibited books), or which are vulnerable (loose illustrations, erotica). They contain materials which for a variety of reasons are housed under conditions of restricted access.
Rariora
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Includes early printed works, Australiana in the collectors' sense, works of specially high market value, etc.
Guidelines for inclusion in Rariora are : All books printed before 1850; Australian imprints before 1920; limited editions of 500 copies or fewer (generally); signed or association copies if the person has special historical or local significance; auction catalogues for book and art Australiana. Books whose market value exceeds ten times the current average price per volume should be considered for inclusion.
Access : Rariora are not available for loan except by special arrangement with the Reference and Information Services Librarian or Collections Librarian. The rare books are issued to the Inquiry Desk and must be read in the Special Collections reading area under "Special Collections Conditions of Use" rules.
Vulnerabilia
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Books which in the opinion of the Collections Librarian or Resource Acquisitions Librarian are liable to theft, mutilation or damage because of their content or condition.
Guidelines for inclusion in Vulnerabilia are : Books which contain text and/or illustrations of a sexual nature; books with plates which are not bound but loosely inserted or separately housed in a portfolio; books which have an extensive past history of theft or mutilation irrespective of content; books whose physical condition makes normal processing and shelving unsuitable.
Access : Vulnerabilia will normally be available for seven day loan
Theses
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One copy of every thesis for a higher degree accepted at La Trobe University is deposited in the Library under Regulation 21.12. This Regulation also governs the availability of theses for loan and photocopying. One copy of each thesis is held in the library in the appropriate campus collection, and is normally available for loan.
The Library's copy of the thesis is usually housed in the General Collection unless the graduate has placed limitations on access to the thesis or the thesis contains glossy plates, maps etc. These theses are housed in the Controlled T section of the Special Collections.